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<title>Day Three: AU/"What If?" by firstdegreefangirl</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24034849">Day Three: AU/"What If?"</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/firstdegreefangirl/pseuds/firstdegreefangirl'>firstdegreefangirl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>9-1-1 Lonestar Week 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Awkward Flirting, Carlos owns a coffeeshop, Flirting, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Pure Prompto Argentum, TK chokes on his coffee, TK is still a new firefighter from New York, coffee shop AU, it's a whole thing, like So Much Awkward Flirting, like just fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:15:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>591</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24034849</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/firstdegreefangirl/pseuds/firstdegreefangirl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos owns a coffee shop and takes a liking to the new firefighter who comes in every day</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carlos Reyes/TK Strand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>9-1-1 Lonestar Week 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1732267</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>131</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Day Three: AU/"What If?"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Me: I mean, I guess coffeeshop AUs are OK ...<br/>Me, reading today's prompt: I HAVE ONE SINGLE IDEA AND THAT IS ALL</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Carlos looks up when the bell over the door jingles.  </p>
<p>“Good morning, welcome to – hey, New York.” He smiles when he sees that it’s his regular morning customer. “8:30 already? Time must be getting away from me.” He pulls a paper cup off of the stack and sets to work, moving through the daily order without needing to think about it. </p>
<p>“Nah, I’m in early today. Picking my dad up on the way in, and you really can’t be late to work if the captain can ground you for two weeks.” The firefighter – TJ, Carlos thinks? CK? No, no, it’s TK, he’s almost positive – grins and rolls his eyes as Carlos passes him his cup. “Which also means I can’t hang around today, because I’ve still got to get across the bridge before rush hour sets in. Pick this up tomorrow?” </p>
<p>“Tomorrow.” Carlos agrees, waving at TK as he turns to walk backward to his car and wave back. </p>
<hr/>
<p>The next morning, Carlos has TK’s drink made by 8:28, sitting at the end of the bar and waiting for his arrival. Sure enough, two minutes later, the door jingles and he strides across the seating area. </p>
<p>“Carlos! How’s it going?” </p>
<p>“Pretty good. Drink’s on the end, New York. You know the drill.”  </p>
<p>Just like every morning, TK stuffs a five dollar bill in the tip jar. After he’s gone, Carlos will pull it out and put the cost of the drink in the register, then drop the change back in the jar. For now, he leans his elbows on the counter and watches TK take the first sip of his coffee. </p>
<p>He sighs and tips his head back, and that’s when Carlos has to look away, focusing on wiping down the bar, and carefully not thinking about how TK’s Adam’s apple had bobbed in his throat.  </p>
<p>“You know,” TK finally speaks, pulling Carlos out of his daydreams. “You’ve gotta be careful. With service this prompt, I’ll start thinking you don’t like chatting with me in the mornings.”  </p>
<p>Carlos flicks his eyes up to meet TK’s gaze and smiles.  </p>
<p>“Or …" he trails off, waiting for TK to raise an eyebrow in anticipation, then continues talking as he takes another sip. “Maybe it’s just that I’d rather talk about something other than the same drink you order every day. Like, what are those funny numbers on the side of your cup all about? What’s going on there?”  </p>
<p>TK crosses his eyes trying to see what Carlos is pointing at, and chokes on his drink when he realizes what is written on the cardboard sleeve. Carlos laughs, and then he really does have to wipe the counter while TK pulls several napkins out of the holder and starts dabbing at his face and T-shirt. </p>
<p>“Shit, I ruined it, didn’t I?” He grimaces. </p>
<p>“Nah, lucky for you, I think it’s cute when guys get all flustered over my phone number.” He’s waiting for TK to ask how many times he’s made this move before (none, and he’s pretty sure it’s only cute because it’s TK, and everything he does seems to be adorable), but instead he rolls his eyes. </p>
<p>“No, the shirt.” He gestures to his torso, where his white AFD tee is splattered with wet coffee spots. “It’s my last clean uniform for the week.” </p>
<p>“Nah, it’ll come out. Secret is dish soap and vinegar.” Carlos looks back up to TK’s face. “If you want, you can call me tonight, come over and I’ll show you.” </p>
<p>“I … might have to do that.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Me? Write fluffy fic without an ounce of angst? Who'd have thunk it?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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